PESHAWAR: At least 17 people were killed and 23 others injured in incidents of roof collapse and mudslide in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which continues to experience intermittent rains and snowfall, said PDMA and rescue authorities here on Saturday.
Apart from humans, reports about the perishing of livestock have also been received from authorities of Rescue 1122 KP.
The deceased include children, women and men who died because of caving in roofs of their houses. Many cattle also were killed in the incidents of roof collapse in Peshawar, Lower Dir and Bajaur.
According to senior officials of Provincial Disaster Management Authority and rescue authorities, 17 individuals lost their lives, while 23 others sustained injuries as a result of the roof collapses.
Among the deceased were five children, and numerous animals were also tragically killed after being buried under the debris. 21 houses were reported completely destroyed while 17 partially, the official said.
Officials said that PDMA is working to open closed roads and provide facilities to people stuck in rains and landslides.
Six tourists have been rescued in Malamjabba, they added. The officials said that directives have been issued to all DCs in this regard.
In the district of Lower Dir, a couple and a child were killed, and another girl suffered serious injuries when the roof of their house collapsed.
Rescue teams promptly responded to the incident, swiftly shifting the bodies and injured individuals to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Similarly, in Batkhela, Malakand, a mother and her young daughter succumbed to their injuries following a roof collapse, while three others, including two children, were injured.
Meanwhile, in Tehsil Baizai, three women sustained injuries in another roof collapse incident, prompting immediate rescue efforts.
Tragic incidents continued to unfold in Bajaur, where three children lost their lives due to a collapsed crude house roof, and in Mardan, where a girl met a similar fate.
Further exacerbating the situation, a child was injured in Bara Kamarkhel New Attari of Khyber after another roof collapse incident, with intermittent rainfall persisting in the district for the third consecutive day.
Meanwhile, Rescue operations are currently underway by the Pakistan Army following heavy snowfall in the areas around Lowari Tunnel, Kalam, Chitral, and Malam Jabba.
The army’s rescue teams remained active throughout the night, clearing snow from the roads and rescuing travellers trapped in snow-affected areas. Moreover, essential supplies and medicines were being provided from nearby army camps.
Over the past few days, the rescue teams have actively worked to reopen roads affected by heavy snowfall.
The army, in collaboration with district administration, has been using heavy machinery to address urgent situations.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024